Last Updated: July 6, 2026
Land O’Lakes is a peaceful community in Pasco County, located just north of Tampa and within easy reach of Clearwater and St. Petersburg. We made it our home base for several weeks while our Newmar Dutch Star received its annual Freightliner service at the factory service center in Tampa — about an hour’s drive away. After the sun-drenched Keys and the sponge docks of Tarpon Springs, it felt wonderful to settle into a quieter rhythm for a while.
Lady Lake, Florida
Lady Lake sits just south of Ocala in Marion County, which proudly claims the title of “Horse Capital of the World.” Marion County has more horses per capita than anywhere else in the United States — a fact that becomes immediately obvious once you arrive. Thoroughbred breeding farms, training facilities, and equestrian estates line the rolling green countryside in every direction. It was a genuinely beautiful and unexpected change of scenery after weeks on the flat Florida coastline.
Grand Oaks Resort
We stayed at Grand Oaks Resort, an extraordinary equestrian-themed RV destination unlike anything we had experienced before. The resort is built around horsemanship — hosting major show-jumping and dressage competitions that attract competitors and horses from across the country. In addition to the equestrian facilities, the property offered a bistro restaurant, a golf academy, and a full spa. Our site had complete hookups, strong satellite signal, and reliable internet — everything we needed for a comfortable extended stay.
The bistro’s food was genuinely good, and the dining room was decorated with an impressive collection of equestrian art, antiques, and mementos from their historic carriage museum. Unfortunately, the museum itself had closed after the majority of its carriage collection was sold at auction — a real loss for visitors who appreciated that history. The atmosphere in the restaurant, however, still carried the spirit of the place beautifully.
The property spans several hundred acres of immaculate grounds. We took long walks every day, watching riders put their horses through their paces on the competition rings and practice courses. Jake was fascinated by all of it — ears up, completely alert, tracking every horse and rider that passed. He had never been this close to so many horses before, and he handled it with surprising composure.
Beyond the horses, the resort was home to an impressive and eclectic collection of animals — llamas, miniature horses, peacocks. Alongside them were rows of carriages, enormous horse trailers, and heavy-duty competition trucks hauling gear from around the country. We even spotted a helicopter on the property. The scale of the professional show circuit was staggering. We had no idea how elaborate and high-stakes the world of competitive equestrian sports truly was until we watched it up close for days on end.
Our motorhome was positioned directly facing one of the main competition arenas, giving us a front-row seat to the show-jumping events every day. It was like staying at a resort with a private equestrian theater just outside the windshield. Jake watched from the doorway for hours, tail wagging, completely in his element.
Visitor Information — Grand Oaks Resort: Grand Oaks Resort is located at 24536 State Road 40, Lady Lake, Florida 32159. The resort offers full-hookup RV sites and welcomes guests who want to enjoy the equestrian atmosphere even if they are not competing. Phone: (352) 753-2400. Visit grandoaksresort.com for upcoming horse show schedules and site reservations. Watching competitions from the resort grounds is typically included for guests — no separate admission required. Book well in advance during major show dates, as sites fill quickly.
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing
When we were kids growing up in Racine, Wisconsin, our friends Mark and Barry Mano had a garage where they were building a drag racer. We would spend hours watching them fabricate these incredible machines from raw metal and imagination. Even though the Mano brothers never made it big in professional racing, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits most certainly did. He is widely considered the greatest drag racer of all time — a pioneer who reshaped the sport and dominated it for four straight decades.
The museum is a genuine treasure for anyone who loves automotive history and American racing culture. The main building houses approximately 90 racing cars spanning the complete history of drag racing — from the earliest front-engine rails to modern rear-engine Top Fuel monsters. A second museum building contains about 50 beautifully restored classic cars. The statistics alone are extraordinary: Top Fuel dragsters are the quickest accelerating vehicles on the planet, capable of reaching speeds over 300 mph in just 1,000 feet in approximately 3.64 seconds, with engines producing more than 7,000 horsepower. Seeing the machines up close — understanding the engineering, the courage, and the sheer audacity of it — makes those numbers feel completely real in a way that photographs never quite capture.
Visitor Information — Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing: The museum is located at 13700 SW 16th Ave, Ocala, Florida 34473. Open daily approximately 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; confirm current hours at garlits.com as schedules can vary seasonally. Admission is charged for adults and children. Ample RV and bus parking available on-site at no extra charge. Phone: (352) 245-8661. Budget at least two to three hours to see both museum buildings thoroughly.
The Villages
Just northeast of Lady Lake lies one of the most remarkable planned communities in the United States — The Villages. This age-restricted (55+) master-planned development has grown to become one of the fastest-growing cities in America and consistently ranks among the top places to retire. The sheer scale of the place is staggering: tens of thousands of homes, multiple town squares, 40-plus golf courses, recreation centers, restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, all connected by an extensive network of roads and dedicated golf cart paths that total over 100 miles. If only we loved Florida’s heat and humidity year-round — it would be a very serious contender.
The golf cart culture here is truly unlike anything we had seen before. Residents use their carts for grocery runs, dinner dates, doctor’s appointments, and socializing just as routinely as they use cars. In many areas of the community, golf carts outnumber automobiles on the road. It is a city genuinely built around a slower, community-centered pace of life — and it works beautifully.
The town squares are the beating heart of The Villages. Restaurants, bars, and shops fill every corner, offering daily specials, happy hours, and free live music every single evening. Most venues were packed with energetic, enthusiastic seniors clearly enjoying every moment of their retirement. People describe The Villages as “Disneyland for seniors” or “a college town for seniors,” and walking through the squares on a busy Friday evening, you understood exactly why. It was genuinely refreshing and uplifting — a powerful reminder that life is very much what you make of it at every age.
Lunch at Redsauce was excellent. Sandy loved a lentil and wheat berry salad with fried goat cheese — light, fresh, and beautifully composed. The restaurant’s eclectic decor matched the spirit of the whole community perfectly: a little quirky, entirely welcoming, and completely unpretentious.
Visitor Information — The Villages: The Villages spans parts of Sumter, Lake, and Marion Counties in central Florida, with the main town squares centered around Lady Lake and Summerfield. Spanish Springs Town Square and Lake Sumter Landing Market Square are the most popular gathering spots for visitors. Live entertainment is free and performed nightly in all major squares. Non-residents are welcome to visit, shop, and dine. For a current events schedule visit thevillages.com. Golf cart rentals are available for visitors who want to explore the community the local way.
Land O’Lakes, Florida
Land O’Lakes had just about everything we needed for a couple of weeks, and we kind of melted into a blissful routine of daily living. Grocery stores, restaurants, hardware stores, and services were all close at hand. After months of constant movement across the country, the luxury of simply settling somewhere and not having to break camp every few days was deeply welcome.
Land O’Lakes to Tampa — Florida RV Supershow
One of our big day trips from Land O’Lakes was to the Florida RV Supershow in Tampa — one of the largest RV shows in the country, held annually at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Hundreds of dealers, manufacturers, accessories vendors, and exhibitors fill the grounds every January. It’s part trade show, part community gathering, and entirely overwhelming in the best possible way. Jake, as always, knew something was up long before we arrived. And when a very convincing decorative bush at the show quietly reached out a human hand to pet him on the head, Jake didn’t even flinch — he had sensed the performer inside all along. Sandy, on the other hand, was completely startled when the figure moved. Classic Jake.
Land O’Lakes, The Woods
The Woods in Land O’Lakes was a genuinely wonderful RV park — beautifully landscaped, well-maintained, and set against a peaceful lake backdrop. We had full hookups and strong satellite, though the internet was a bit spotty at times. What we lacked in bandwidth we more than made up for in community. Whether it was potluck dinners, evenings of live music, or impromptu cookouts that appeared from nowhere, the people at The Woods were warm, welcoming, and genuinely good company. We made real friends here — the kind you stay in touch with for years on the road.
Every single day, a pair of Sandhill Cranes made their rounds through the park as if they owned the place. They were entirely unbothered by humans, Jake, or anything else. They would walk right up to Sandy with one bird on each side, close enough to touch. She was never quite sure whether they were going to peck her or simply inspect her — but she stood her ground admirably each time. Someone must have hand-fed them in the past, because they had absolutely no concept of personal space. We also watched an Osprey hunt the lake regularly, diving from height and returning to its favorite perch with a fish. There are Ospreys wherever there is water in Florida, and watching this one reminded us why Michael always keeps a long lens ready.
Practical Tips for Lady Lake and Land O’Lakes, Florida
Book Grand Oaks around the show schedule. The equestrian competitions are the main draw and they fill the resort. Check the Grand Oaks event calendar before making your reservation — arriving during a major show means front-row viewing from your site, but also a very busy park. Booking well in advance is essential during competition seasons, which run primarily in the winter and spring months.
Large RVs do well in this region. Unlike some coastal Florida destinations, the roads around Lady Lake, Ocala, and Land O’Lakes are wide and RV-friendly. The Don Garlits Museum has excellent large-vehicle parking. The Villages’ town squares require parking in designated lots and exploring on foot or by golf cart — large coaches cannot navigate the square areas directly, so plan to park at the perimeter.
Arrive early for The Villages entertainment. Evening performances in the town squares are extremely popular with both residents and visitors. Arrive before 5:00 PM on weekends to secure a good spot at the outdoor venues. Consider hopping between multiple squares in one evening — each has its own distinct atmosphere, performers, and restaurant lineup.
Don Garlits Museum has two buildings — see both. Many visitors focus on the main drag racing museum and miss the classic car building next door. Budget a minimum of two to three hours for the complete experience. The gift shop is well-stocked for motorsports enthusiasts.
Schedule Freightliner service well ahead of arrival. If you own a diesel pusher on a Freightliner chassis, the Freightliner Custom Chassis service center in Tampa is excellent. Appointment slots fill up quickly during the winter snowbird months — contact them weeks in advance and plan your Land O’Lakes stay around the service window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Grand Oaks Resort in Lady Lake, Florida? Grand Oaks Resort is an upscale full-hookup RV resort and professional equestrian venue in Lady Lake, near Ocala. It hosts major show-jumping and dressage competitions and offers amenities including a bistro restaurant, golf academy, and spa. RV guests can watch world-class equestrian events directly from the resort grounds — the ringside sites make it a spectacular and unique RV experience for horse lovers and spectators alike.
Is The Villages worth visiting as a non-resident tourist? Absolutely. The Villages welcomes visitors of all ages. The town squares — particularly Spanish Springs and Lake Sumter Landing — offer free nightly live entertainment, a wide variety of restaurants, and a vibrant social atmosphere that is unlike anything else in Florida. It’s worth a full evening visit just to witness the extraordinary sense of community and energy the place generates.
What can you see at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala? The museum houses approximately 90 drag racing vehicles spanning the complete history of the sport alongside roughly 50 classic cars in a separate building. Founded by legendary Top Fuel champion Don Garlits, it tells the story of American drag racing from its grassroots origins to its evolution into a professional motorsport. The engineering on display — particularly the scale of Top Fuel engines capable of over 7,000 horsepower — is genuinely awe-inspiring in person.
Is Land O’Lakes, Florida a good base for exploring the region? Yes. Land O’Lakes is ideally situated in Pasco County, putting Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Ocala, Lady Lake, and The Villages all within comfortable driving distance. It’s a practical and relaxed base that avoids the congestion and expense of staying in Tampa itself while keeping all of those destinations easily accessible for day trips.
Are the RV parks in the Land O’Lakes and Lady Lake area good for large motorhomes? Yes. Both Grand Oaks Resort and The Woods in Land O’Lakes accommodated our 45-foot Newmar Dutch Star without difficulty. Pull-through and large back-in sites are available at both properties. As always, confirm site dimensions and any length restrictions when booking, and check the approach routes using satellite imagery or an RV-specific GPS before arrival.
